[razzz42]

AD797BN didn't work for me so back to Hong Kong they go. Was offered AD797AN and promised they would work, thinking about it. LT1363CN8 sounded like listening from one end of a long hallway. Had better luck swapping the DIP 24LC02B from my old M-Audio 7.1 Revolution card to the Prodigy HD2, took some of the low bass away but was very clear with vocals/instruments,  generally good separation. Certainly didn't hurt anything. I'm using Klipsch Promedia 2.1 speakers and positioned dead center between the satellites balanced sounds come directly out of the middle like suspended in the air, like looking for a center speaker but it's not there.
 
At one time, loaded  M-Audio 7.1 drivers/software after a clean XP3 install and it worked fine along side the HD2 and even the ASUS (C-Media?) on-board sound but now it is not recognized for some reason so I can't check it out with the stock HD2 output DIP in it. I'll work on that later, must be the HD2 drivers interfering somehow since they both use the same Envy chips.

 

[leeperry]

you could always buy some bare AD797BR on ebay and put them on browndogs yourself, you'll be hard pressed to find a better AK4396 LPF IMHO. It just does wonders on the HD2.

 

[razzz42]

Waiting on some mail from Hong Kong with AD707BR now. In the meantime I bought a Prodigy 7.1 Hi-Fi PCI card, takes a week to get here. That should be some fun.

 

[leeperry]

the Prodigy 7.1 Hi-Fi has a 4 layers PCB like the claro halo/stx...the HD2 is only 2 layers.

 

[razzz42]

The specs on the Prodigy 7.1 Hi-Fi  seem more capable than newer cards in a $200 price range. I guess IC Ensemble naming their original chip 'Envy'  and later VIA added 'Vinyl'  seems all very appropriate. I should be fine driving just a 5.1 system where the card can use all its power at peak performance versus running 8 channels. Be interesting to see what DACs it comes with and the date of manufacture of the card.
 
Of course in the end, I go by sound only but a good platform certainly helps. Cheaper than buying stereo receivers for mods and upgrades.
 
I have a Xonar DX  PCI-EX it sits in the closet where it belongs.

 

[leeperry]

Well, most of the new $200 multichannel cards are based on CMI8788, and its very crappy drivers.The HiFi runs the generic VIA drivers, these will do anything you like w/o breaking a sweat.

 

[sparehead1]

Hi All,
 
I've also picked up 2 of these cards, the B grade ones from ebay with the PSR ink stains which to my mind is a bargain of a soundcard since most people interested in these cards will be interested in swapping the op-amp's anyway:
 
http://cgi.ebay.com.au/AUDIOTRAK-PRODIGY-HD2-grades-B-Sound-Card-/110544293736?cmd=ViewItem&pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19bcf40f68
 
I got some dual SOIC to DIP8 boards as well for the opamp rolling and am looking at some AD797BR's although they are used parts, thinking I'll get them anyway. I'll try them with LT1128CS8's and am thinking I'll just get them direct from www.linear.com
 
I saw a picture somewhere of the caps to replace and what to replace them with, cant find it now. Is it really worth swapping them out? Replacing the connectors sounds worthwhile however.

 

[sonda2008]

Quote:

I saw a picture somewhere of the caps to replace and what to replace them with, cant find it now.

 
Here you go mate:
http://www.head-fi.org/forum/thread/486480/audiotrak-prodigy-hd2-modifications
 
Most people who did modify HD2 seem to swap original C5 Rubycon cap to Sanyo WG 470uF. It’s probably a good place to start.

 

[sparehead1]

thanks mate
 
I think i was a picture from that thread but it was on another forum. Cant for the life of me find it now. It had coloured dots on the caps and then a legend to say what types and values to put in, I *think* also with a brief run down as to what function each group of caps performed.

 

[sonda2008]

Quote:

thanks mate
 
I think i was a picture from that thread but it was on another forum. Cant for the life of me find it now. It had coloured dots on the caps and then a legend to say what types and values to put in, I *think* also with a brief run down as to what function each group of caps performed.

 
Check this very thread (page 4).
 

 

[sparehead1]

No wonder I thought I'd be able to find it again easy lol... well dont I feel special 

 
cheers, I looked everywhere but this thread to find that post. Had it in my head it was on another forum

 

[razzz42]

Put Prodigy Hi Fi in a slot, has five 4580D OP-AMPs. Clarity and separation are superb, Highs a bit shrill, lows lack a good punch, mid-range outstanding. Dead silence at idle. Gonna have to move to a Hi Fi board to find out what OP-AMP does what. BTW it is a 4 layer board. Outputs to my Klipsch 2.1/5.1 ultra  nicely. Prodigy HD sounds at bit better due to DACs but this stock Hi-Fi is much cleaner and clearer. Even at low volume you hear everything going on.
 
Sound check (starts @ 12 secs)......http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4o3eiEHmJUA&playnext_from=TL&videos=ty06Ek5gm7Y

 

[krisno]

I am using AKG K 701 directly into the Audiotrack.
 
I bought this card because I heard the ST/STX was too bright and fatiguing. I earlier had the Xonar D1.
 
The Audiotrack is brigther than the Xonar D1 by far. It is also less relaxed but also "slower" at the same time.
 
Can this brightness be fixed with opamps? Now that I haven't tried the RCA output via amp yet, are they darker? since they have this 2604 opamp in the buffer output?
 
What opamps is recommended combo to make it less shrill, a little darker, more bass?
 
2x LT1364 + LT1361 ??
 
or
 
2x LT1364 + LM4562NA
 
I want to make it more like the asus sound...... a bit darker.. it sounds  a bit thin.
 
K

 

[razzz42]

The more experienced rollers can answer the question about what op-amps might help with sound preferences since I'm new to the game.
 
I used optical HD output to Hi-Fi optical in to another computer since I couldn't get the two card to cooporate  in side by side slots on one computer. I could only get 2 channel sound out of the Hi-Fi card using buggy Win7 drivers but compared speakers and sounds since I was using two speaker sets being fed with the same music at the same time. HD stock sound a bit better than Hi-Fi stock to my ears. Change out op-amps whenever they arrive.
 
Have a ver. 4 M-Audio 7.1 card along side the HD with no problems until I swapped output op-amps between the two card and XP didn't recognized the M-Audio 7.1 card any more. HD played fine. Put a stock ver. 3 M-Audio 7.1 card and XP accepted that.
 
I'm running Klipsch Promedia 2.1 and 5.1 Ultra speaker sets (2.1 for everyday use/sounds and Ultras for music and movies) The HD card makes the 2.1s sound high end, clear and detailed, overall pretty nice. The 2.1 sub can't reproduce some of the lows I play i.e. Hotel California live and bassy recorded  music like Bjork's (Greatest Hits) Hunter and All is Full of Love. The Ultras not only handle the lows but shake the house doing it.  

 

[sparehead1]

Has anyone tried swapping out the sockets? I'm going to swap mine out, I have some gold plated ones left over from some old cmoy builds.